[jka]

Not great advice, probably, but an answer to your question: I stubbornly try to rebuild the same thing ("a search engine for food"), over and over again, and each time learn slightly more and have better (software) tools and experience available to call upon.

https://www.reciperadar.com/ is the current version of the idea, and I'm fairly happy about how it's developing. Previous iterations have included a Java-based web application (using recursive common table expressions in PostgreSQL) and dabbling with a Prolog-based web service implementation.

The current containerized architecture (which is ridiculous, I know) provides for a migration path towards Rust or golang for more resource-efficient microservices, if & when that's ever useful (or enjoyable to work on).